Winding along edge of a rip in the earth crust and then climbing to our second pass of over 5000m I stuck with my policy of singing to my bike, it was if we had made a deal. We had too very defined jobs to do. I had to make sure to work the throttle and gears percicly right and she had to just keep going. The deal worked and we kept climbing.
Up to the top and down the other side after a brief rest and clap on the back at the top.
Sailing over valleys the size of counties with the constant snowcapped mountains always towering around us . The views of the constantly changing valleys formed by all the forces of nature where just breathtaking. The Himalaya's are still growing and you can feel the power of such a great life force literally vibrating all around you.
Crossing what seems like an endless tangle of valleys as if we where ants on a Rhino, barely slowing for the occasional river we came to the Valley Of The Gods, so called because the mountains around are considered to be sitting Buddhas meditating.
A stretch of over 70k through the dusty bowl, the trail winding through the valley. After a brief stop to check the bikes and fill our selfs with what ever provisions we needed, we set off.
The trail soon turned to dust and then to sand. At the first sand drift I took what I thought was a bit of a detour around a bad patch but it was a mistake and as my front wheel hit the a deep drift the sand parted like water and my wheel sank half way up the forks but the momentum carried me forward and with the all my skill I managed to throttle out of it with the back of the bike fish tailing about wildly. I did not fall though and made it out the other side without injury to the bike.
This was just the first of the sand traps but I did not detour any of the other and made it through them all. It was one of the most challenging parts of the trip but also one of my favorets.
Then on through the valley. Crusing though the Valleys of these still, meditating gods, their basins the size of counties with grazing Yaks in the distance and clouds with their shadows drifting across the landscape I had tears rolling down my cheeks from just the shear beauty of it and my gratitude for being able to be there, the shear perfection of it struck me so deeply that I was so moved, I hold that part of the journey as one of the most powerful and defining moments in my life.
Back on an ascent, this time to the second highest motorable pass in the world.
As I climbed road workers would appear out of nowhere clearing the road or making repairs to it. At on point I can round a corner to find two women that looked as if they could be in their 80s shoveling away snow and ice that had worked its way across the road. There was no truck with them and nobody else. Just these two old ladies in the heart of the Himalaya's toiling away stopping only to give me a wave and a warm smile as I passed.
Around another corner and a good twist of the throttle to get over a muddy embankment and I was at the second highest motorable pass in the world.
I entered the highest temple in the world and gave my humble humble thanks and took in the view from this place in the sky.
We posed around a big sign that states “TAGLANGLA, ALTITUDE 17582 FT. You are passing through the second highest pass of the world, unbelievable is not it!”
The wondrous silence was broken by 3 bus loads of solders whom I entertained by guiding then around my bike.
Then down in to what used to be Tibet but is now part of India. Another different landscape with different people but this time it was with different temples. Stupas everywhere loomed along the road. Some seeming to be from prehistoric times. The people now with beautiful Asain like features all calling “Julley!” as we passed.
We kept rolling and rolling until as the evening came and turned into the night we arrived in Leh, 14 hours after leaving Sarchu. Exhausted, hungry, dirty but feeling very triumphant.
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